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First I would like to thank everyone for the response on my last two images, I can't tell you how much it means to receive so many accolades, both in site and user awards.

Now to something completely different, at least for me, and I would suspect with an appeal to those who would not normally be interested in my work (& visa, versa). Let me explain, when I decided to take time out from photography (yea right, it actually spurred me on) I wanted to get back to basics, strip my photography bare. I had started to over complicate my work. I remembered a series of images I had seen many, many years ago (20+) when I still used film from the late Robert Mapplethorpe. A word of warning please don't Google him from work! Whilst most of his work is controversial, for me some of his other, I guess more personal work is what stood out. Along with that other twisted sole Bob Carlos Clarke they are are two of the photographers who fired my love of Black and White photography.

I didn't just want to portray "a flower" and tick that box, I wanted an abstract feel almost sexual in nature (hence the title)

For the images I used just one strobe, triggered off camera with a strobies softbox, held very close, right slight back lighting. I have a black card which I attached to a wall with blue tack. Me been me, it is more complex than first sight, I wanted maximum detail, front to back sharpness - so it is focussed stacked (manually here, later I managed to get software to do it). I'm very happy with the images I have to date, some are different indeed, that I don't think I've seen the like of before, but more of them on another day (and they will deffinately polarise opinions).

I honestly can't remember the flash settings, as I just "twiddle the knobs" until I get the exposure I like, it was probably about 1/32 power.

I will see the project through (I only have 2 more to do anyway - out of a series of 6) and maybe I will put them in my PF, maybe just put them on my website, which is in desperate need of an overhaul.

Stunning shot, to say the least! Why? Because of its power to catch my attention and imagination through, as you put it, its abstract feel. Photography can be many things, to be sure, but when it manages to freeze objects in time, it goes beyond the ordinary dimension into a realm that is at the frontier between the real and imagination, and it is through this propriety that it becomes art. Nick, I want to thank you for your preamble. It is so revelatory of the way many of us visualise the geography proposed by photography's humanistic incursion into the world that surrounds us. Congratulations,
Paul

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Now that is a surprise Pete - I really am shocked , yes I always loved his flower images, they were different, they weren't "just" flowers he used shape and form, so to have this recognised really means something(and it's one of the few my wife will let me have on the wall),

I've seen some of Penn's work, but not really looked in detail (I will put that right straight away).

Once again a big thanks

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Congrats on the EC Nick. No shock to me. The mood created by your lighting and processing is beautiful and totally sympathetic to the subject. I love the way that you can see that petal through the overlapping one at the front.
Derek

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Well you do not know me! some times I think it is just as well for some!, this photograph in a way some's up what I am all about! simple astounding yet the essence of art! people with camera's prance around, big lenses and big idea's hundreds of votes, but you are only as big as we make you! I am not referring to you, the self appointed critic's that put others down and destroy their artistic attempts, purely for their own ends. I congratulate you on the fact that you have achieved with simplicity what others will never achieve, a flower! a nude female a sensuous figure! that is an achievement in it'self! there are not many on here that can do that!you have my sincere regards Leon. think wisely God Bless.

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